Emmanuel Petit believes Spain and Manchester City star Rodri will never win a Ballon d'Or because of the position he plays.
After starring at Euro 2024, Rodri is preparing for another Premier League season in which City are among the favourites to win the title. The 28-year-old defensive midfielder was named Player of the Tournament at Euro 2024 as he helped Spain claim the continental championship, and he was a key piece of Guardiola's league-winning City side last season.
Such accolades should lead to greater recognition from the footballing community but will likely not, Petit said.
"Honestly, I would love it if Rodri won the Ballon d’Or," Petit told Gambling Zone. "Based on the history of the Ballon d'Or, I don't believe he will ever win it! It's all based on marketing, stats, things like this.
"It's not based on the importance of the players during the season and how valuable they are to their teams. Rodri has been the best holding midfielder in the world for the last couple of seasons.
"If he were to be recognised with the Ballon d’Or, then he would be winning it for all the players that normally go unrecognized when it comes to individual awards. He would be winning it for all of the defensive midfielders in the world!"
Petit was an accomplished defensive midfielder in his own right during his playing days, which spanned from the late 1980s to 2004. During that time Petit played for Monaco, Barcelona, Arsenal, Chelsea and the France national team, winning league titles in France and England and helping Les Bleus to win Euro 2000 and the 1998 World Cup.
Seeing first hand how little glory holding midfielders get has likely informed Petit's opinion that Rodri will not win the game's biggest individual prize, and he points to some of the sport's all-time greats who have been overlooked in favour of attacking players as evidence.
"When was the last time they gave the Ballon d'Or to a defender, to a holding midfielder or a goalkeeper?" Petit said. "The last time was Fabio Cannavaro after he won the World Cup with Italy in 2006."
"When you play in the less glamorous roles in a football team, you’re not concerned about the Ballon d’Or.
"It's a pity. I think Rodri deserves something different as an individual. It’s like with Xavi, how in the hell didn’t he win a Ballon d’Or? He should have got one and so should have [Andres] Iniesta. Look at what they did for Barcelona for all those years and for Spain. Those players never won a Ballon d'Or. Can you understand that? It's crazy."
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